Menu

Theurbanside.com

Events

Last week I had the opportunity (along with very few people all across the globe) to be on a Rival Sons meet and greet at 4 Sound in Stockholm, and be one of the very few to have a hearing session of the new album “Feral Roots”, that is going to be released in the beginning of 2019.

The experience was beyond cool, as I had the chance to pre order the new record and also be a part of an “interview” session with Scott and Jay. Rock Sverige was also present to shoot these special moments and also shoot us, the lucky ones, who had the chance to have a chat with the band and take a picture after the hearing session and the interviewing took place.

Myself, I was amazed by how good and well made this new record sounds. I know that every time an artist releases a new record, it is “their best one yet”, but to use exactly Scott’s words “if they don’t say that in every record they make, they have no fucking idea what they are doing.”

I had the chance along with almost 25-30 people to listen to four of the new songs, and after that to ask a question that Jay and Scott would gladly answer. But first things first;

The Sons are releasing a new record in the beginning of 2019 called “Feral Roots”. Why would this record be any different than the ones already made? Because in my opinion, this record sounded much deeper than the previous ones. For me, the Sons have an imposing style and sound, and I cannot really think or name any other band that they can be compared to. It is not for an instance like you can say, “hey since you like this band, I’m pretty sure you’re gonna like how Rival Sons sound”. I cannot measure their art this way. So, having that said, if I wrote here, “the new album sounds like this, or like that, would it really do it any justice? If you write some good words about the sound in a piece of paper or in a blog post would it do it any justice? I don’t really think so. Every artist has a vision, and different styles of music and sound awaken emotions you never knew they existed. So how about saying this, that the very few songs I got to listen to, have been the internal soundtrack in my days, since last Friday. I absolutely love it when an artist, lyrically or musically touches the heart of an individual in a way that you never expected they would. But at the same time, musicians and artists in general are there to serve the art, so if they manage to do that, then they most certainly reached the absolute level of success. That’s always what I personally believe.

After the hearing session, we had the chance, to ask Jay and Scott any question that would pop into our minds. I had of course a question myself but didn’t do it during this time, but later on when I got to meet them in person.

Sweet and gentlemen as always, they welcomed me with open arms and warm hearted smiles, willing to answer anything that I would ask. A lot of times though, my concerns and questions have nothing to do with what I actually see and hear but with what lies behind. The mentality of a focused artist for example. We all know that the carrier of the Sons keeps going only upwards, so my main concern was this; what does an artist like them do in their every day life, in order for them to keep focused, be on the right track, and be productive. Any every day habits, rituals, or anything else that helps them feel focused on their goals, the main one of which is to serve their art.

Well, as we were having a small chat with Jay and Scott, it made me realize that the answer lies beneath a lot of things that we all do in our every day life. First of all Jay really pointed out that we need to be gentle with ourselves. Don’t be too hard on them. Love them and don’t point out our flaws. As human beings, we are all flawed. But this is not the point. The point is to be gentle and love yourself. Secondly, take care of yourself, in terms of eating healthy, working out, praying and meditating. That way you will not keep falling for temptations like alcohol, late night stays, etc. “We all fell for that”, added Scott, but the more you grow up, the more focused you stay in the things that you love, so as they both mentioned, it is not about anything like this, and one of the most important things as well, is to surround yourself with good people and people that lift you up.

In general, it’s been really a night worth remembering. I have never been up and close with a band like this before and this made my excitement and anticipation for the new record and the new tour double as much.

What are your thoughts regarding music like this? Do you like the Sons? Have you ever seen them live?

If not, feel free to click on the links below about previous posts of mine including live pictures, show reviews and plenty of Rival Sons material!

Last night a good, old, classic, favorite band of mine gave their best shot in a filled out Gröna Lund. Mando Diao gave an amazing show in Stockholm’s most beautiful summer venue, and I was there to shoot.

As I have mentioned it about a hundred times now, last night 30 Seconds To Mars were in town! Their show in Stockholm was a part of the Monolith Tour 2018 and lucky us, it is not going to be the only one for this tour in Stockholm. On the 20th of August they will be back in town to play at Gröna Lund, again as a part of the Monolith Tour.

I applied about probably 10 times or even more to get photo access to the show, but Live Nation denied my application due to “Limited photographer access”. I have been wondering though since Annexet is a pretty big venue and suits at least five photographers, why did I really get shut down, while there were only three of them shooting.

I didn’t really let this pull me down, as nothing can hold me back when I am about to see on stage the man that saved me countless times. And by “saved” me, I mean both literally and figuratively.

The Monolith tour started in the beginning of April in Europe exactly when they released their new album “America”, their fifth studio album and highest Thirty Seconds to Mars charting album ever. The tickets for the tour were released in November but I didn’t have the chance to buy some in the first place. So I spent all of this time thinking that I will only see them this summer in Gröna Lund, as Live Nation announced that the show is sold out right a couple of days after the ticket release. On the other hand, I tried to find tickets in some really lame websites that charged each of them about 3000 Swedish crowns, something which is to be honest completely ridiculous. I knew though that “Sold out” on Live Nation tickets means that “we are actually going to announce that it is sold out and then about a week before the show we are going to say that there are still tickets available because the show wasn’t sold out in the first place, we just felt like saying it, that’s all.”

So after all of this up and down emotions, I couldn’t settle down with the idea that I got this band tattooed in my skin and will not be able to se them when they are in town. So luckily, I wasn’t impressed by the so-called marketing tricks and once they said that there still are tickets available, I rushed to buy some in a very reasonable price. And so the day had almost come.

If you have ever been in a Thirty Seconds to Mars show before, you will probably know that it is a colorful paradise, combined with Jared’s angelic voice and Shannon’s compelling drum beats. This time Tomo was missing from the tour due to family issues as they announced before the tour start. And so, in an almost fully packed Annexet, about 9 at night, the provocative Jesus hit the stage along with his rebellious brother and a few lucky Echelon members who were with them at the stage throughout the whole show.

First song of the night was “Up in the air”, a song that hit straight to the bone not only me but every single soul in that room. This is the part when the adrenaline rushes straight into your body and you cannot believe that this is actually happening. You will believe it eventually but not straight in the first song. Jumping up and down, heavenly screams, huge balloons, and colorful graphics, a taste of what was about to take place downtown on a Sunday night.

Eventually like I said, it will hit you. That this is actually happening right before your eyes. For a lot of people this breaking point never comes, as most of them are there to enjoy the music and the handsome presences of Jared and Shannon. But not me. Or anybody who sees these guys from the same perspective. The tears kept running hot out of my eyes like I had been suffocating the whole time and not I was able to breathe again. All I kept thinking at this deep moment was “The man who saved me, the man who saved me, the man who saved me”. At some point I could really sing along, but at some other one, I wasn’t even able to do so. It is like this moment when you feel the absolute completeness and there is nothing more missing from your life. It is almost like you have started a new one. Like you have felt the touch and essence of what it would be like in a “brave new world”. The little girl who was locked up in a room in a shitty place, a shitty reality and a supposedly profound shitty future, was finally able to breathe. She found someone to “save her from the demons in her mind”.

Sometimes I still believe that I am the little seventeen year old girl. And then I remember that I was saved. Saved by him. And his art. And after this, the story went “on and on and on.”

Have you ever felt this way? About someone? Or something? About music? Or a higher belief? If so, then you know exactly what I am talking about.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get good pictures even though I have been trying to do so, so I thought about sharing a few that I think are the most decent ones, and also a few “stolen” from the 30STM story on Instagram last night.

I hope that you will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I truly hope that you feel this way about something higher, about maybe music, or arts, or sports, or anything that serves a meaningful purpose in life. I believe that this is when you truly discover yourself and your path in this world.

Have you been part of the Monolith Tour so far? Are you going to be? I would love to hear your Mars experience! Until then, feel free to take a look at these pics!

So the time has finally come and these guys are going to be in town this Sunday. I cannot even put it in words how excited I am to be seeing them again after so many years. The emotions running strong through my body like not a single day has passed by.

I am pretty sure that those of you who love them as much as I do, have already listened to the new record, but in case you didn’t, I am putting the link right here 🙂

One of my absolutely favorite bands of all times has recently announced some headline European music dates, including their first show ever in Greece. Volbeat are out on tour again, with some American touring dates, followed by a short tour in Europe including festival shows but also some headline ones.

This July the Danish\ American band is about to play their first ever show in Greece, as a part of the greek Rockwave festival in Athens on the 20th of July.

Are you going to be joining any of the following dates?

Click the link below to see full concert material of Volbeat playing at Friends arena- Stockholm this past September, as a part of their “Seal the deal and let’s boogie tour”, along with a personal Volbeat story of mine. 🙂

Last year in March, I had the pleasure to shoot these amazing guys in a full packed house in Berns- Stockholm. This year they will be playing in “Borgholm brinner” festival along with bands like Danko Jones and Graveyard.